Football

The No. 15 Florida Gators play their second straight game at home and are looking for a major rebound effort after getting absolutely embarrassed by Missouri on homecoming one week ago. The Gators are also looking to defeat their former head coach, now twice removed, as he makes his return to The Swamp for the second time since being fired.

With neither a College Football Playoff nor New Year’s Six berth on the line — and the stadium likely to be half-full for an early kickoff — how will Florida respond? Will this be a team that plays its way into a big bowl game or one that completely falls apart with nothing of substance left on its docket outside of a rivalry game to end the regular season? Let’s take a look at what you need to know and how you can watch Florida-South Carolina.

Tale of the tape

No. 15 Florida Gators

South Carolina Gamecocks

Head coach

Dan Mullen

Will Muschamp

Record

6-3 (4-3 SEC)

5-3 (4-3 SEC)

Conference

SEC

SEC

Prediction and analysis

Spread: Florida -6 | O/U: 54

The Gators’ confidence took a major tumble last week when Mizzou dumped all over Florida on homecoming. It was a surprising effort from the hosts considering UF was coming off a loss to Georgia, and its defense looked to be capable of stopping Drew Lock. But just as they failed a week earlier with Jake Frormm, the Gators let Lock throw all over them. With the entire unit healthy and active save for Marco Wilson, who has been out since Week 1, Florida should have practiced its ass off all week looking for a true bounce-back effort against South Carolina.

The Gamecocks were able to hang 48 on Ole Miss, but the Rebels are literally one of the worst defenses in the country. South Carolina has been competitive in every game it has played this season, and its last four have all been decided by four points or fewer. However, USC has been dominated by the best defenses it has faced this season. It goes against best judgment to take Florida as a touchdown favorite here, but when you consider the loss to South Carolina a year ago and the fact that this is a revenge game at home after two losses, that’s the side to take with the under also to be expected.

2018 records: ATS picks 4-4 | O/U picks 5-3

Injuries and absences

Game notes

» Florida is 26-9-3 all-time against South Carolina, but the teams have split the last six meetings. The Gators are 14-2 all-time against the Gamecocks in Gainesville with both losses coming since 2011.
» UF is now 4-2 against unranked opponents this season with both coming to SEC East teams in The Swamp.
» The Gators have allowed their last to opponents to convert 60 percent of their third-down tries while converting just 26 percent of their own.
» Florida and Syracuse are the only teams in the College Football Playoff Rankings that won fewer than six games last season.
» The Gators are 3-0 when scoring first and 5-0 when leading after the third quarter. Florida is also 4-0 when allowing 20 points or fewer and 5-0 when outrushing their opponent.
» Florida’s turnover margin has tanked this season after coughing up the ball three times in consecutive games. It is now tied for 18th nationally (+6) after being in the top 10 all season.
» The Gators have scored in 381 consecutive games, an NCAA record.
» UF is one of two FBS teams nationally since 2008 (Alabama) to have not lost a single game to a team that ended a season with a losing record.

Odds and ends

» Florida will wear traditional orange helmets with blue jerseys and white pants for the second straight week.

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